It's a Wrap

Wrapping gifts has got to be in my top 10 things I love to do, Christmas turns me into a kid in a sweetshop!  The different papers,  the cute tags, the ribbons, the raffia, even just brown paper packages tied up with string (see what I did there haha!)  Maybe it's a throwback to my days in the chippy wrapping endless portions of fish and chips...

...anyway! When one of my besets friends' birthday rolled around and I got to send her a parcel full of goodies I was super excited.  In terms of the actual shopping for the gifts, getting them delivered and figuring out what to get her...lets just say I sent the parcel 2 weeks after her birthday (oops!) but once I had everything there, I was whirlwind of wrapping, packaging and making it all look beautiful.

It all started with a box...

...I found this one at TK Maxx and loved the message on the top.  It's so nice to be able to make the packaging itself part of the gift and something you can keep.  This one had little section cards inside as well so you can organise those photos even if they're not in the albums yet.

To put in the box I ordered some Michael Todd skin care products.  I'v been using these for a little while now and, although they can be pricey (especially with customs charges, why don't I live  in the USA?) they are all organic, vegan and so kind to your skin.  I ordered the sensitive skin bridal package (my friend isn't getting married but she has super sensitive skin so I erred on the side of caution!)

I also picked up a copy of The Vintage Tea Party a book I was given for my birthday and absolutely love.  My friend loves to bake and the whole book just instantly made me think of her.

Once I'd finally gotten round to getting all the bits and bobs to go in the box I filled it with tissue paper (I told myself it was to protect the presents in the post, but it was totally just because it looks cute!) and wrapped the book in the same paper.  I put the book  on top of the other presents so it was more of a surprise when she opened it and all she saw was tissue paper.

And then just to keep it all together in the post I tied the box shut with some raffia and slid the birthday card under the bow.

I had so much fun putting this little box together and parcelling it up in brown paper to take to the post office, and I know it will have put a smile on my friend's face to open something that's had a little time and effort spent on it.

Steph

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Vegan...Take Two

I gave Veganism a go for Lent this year, 40 days and nights of no animal products, and I loved it.  However, as it does every year, Lent came to an end and, slowly but surely, so did my commitment to veganism.

For the past two months I've guiltily eaten meat, dairy and all manner of junk food and to be brutally honest, I've felt like crap! Transitioning to the vegan lifestyle felt so easy and so natural to me and then I went and fell of the bandwagon with a serious bump.

But (and yes it's gotten bigger!) despite the lure of the rubbish food, the added pounds and the lack of energy I haven't lost sight of my vegan ideals.  This week I have decided to get back on track, cut out the junk and the animal products and get myself moving again.

I started today with a smoothie, a vegan bagel topped with banana and a HUGE glass of water and I'm determined to keep it up!  I went for a run (even in the heat, major sweaty betty!) and even tried something new.  I sat in my garden, under the canopy of the trees in the pouring rain in my little mac and let myself just be.  Nothing but be.

So often I feel as if I spend all my time worrying, panicking, filled with anxiety, chasing to-do lists and working towards the lifestyle I want and feel will make me happy.  I reckon it's time to sit for a few minutes each day in the greta outdoors and take time to take stock of where I am, who I am and just be.

We can spend our lives working towards our happy, healthy place but all we really have is now, this moment and I need more than the odd reminder to stop and remember that.

So...step one, vegan and get my health on track,

step two...stick a smile on :)

step three...breath and enjoy, it'll all be okay

Steph

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Nostalgia

Looking through old photographs is literally one of my favourite things to do.  Family photos are alway my favourite, but even photographs from 100 years ago capture my imagination and set me wondering bout the muses and their lives.

I recently rediscovered these two gems which really made me smile.  A photograph of me dancing with my Dad at a family friend's wedding (and we're both smiling which is a rarity in it's won right!).  I love the fact I can see this image and remember the day as if it were yesterday, without the photo I probably wouldn't think to access that memory and the happiness it brings.

Recalling happy memories can increase current happiness and having photos around definitely does that for me.

This second picture also put a huge smile on my face.  My Mum, looking ever so pleased with herself as she yells her head off, and my Uncle proudly holding tightly onto her hand.  The sweetness coupes with the hilarity of my Mum's expression warms my heart and makes me giggle every time I see it.

Photos are so precious, they'll always be something I hold onto for that little jog to remember the good times :)

Steph

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All By Myself...

This week I was lucky enough to spend a night in a lovely hotel for the night.  I spent the days leading up to it day dreaming about laying in a giant bed, clean sheets, room service and having an evening to myself that I could spend however I pleased.

As lovely as it was to have a gorgeous bed, clean sheets, amaaaazing room service (eyes bigger than my tummy clearly!) I didn't enjoy the solitude as much as I thought I would.

I've always been the sort of person who enjoys their own space, I love spending time with my friends and family but I've always needed that hour or so to myself to just be.

Apparently an entire evening is a lot longer than I had anticipated!  After flopping on the bed, teasing out the fancy soaps, ordering food and watching telly I started to wonder what to do next.  My answer was to stick on a face mask and continue watching trash TV, and it was lovely, but it was also nice to know I'd be headed back into the real world again in the morning.

Steph

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Smile Like You Mean It #2

Audrey Hepburn clearly was a very wise lady! And on the note the things that have made me smile this week include...

1) Bright Orange Hair, having orange hair has made me feel as if summer is truly on it's way, bring on the sun, the BBQs in the rain and parks full of people attempting to catch even the smallest ray of sunshine.







2) Bingo!  This week I played bingo for the first time ever and it was hilarious! We won nothing, had no clue what we were doing until a kind lady helped us out an hour in and then got so into marking off the numbers we were covered in pen by the end! If you've never been it's a real laugh on a rainy day with a couple of mates, you might even win!









3) The British countryside, I've travelled across the country, more than usual, this week and the British countryside never fails to put a smile on my face. I am truly blessed to live in such a beautiful country full of fields, trees and pink summer night skies. Living in London often means I don't get to see too much of the countryside but the views out the window when I'm travelling always manage to keep me from falling asleep and put a smile on my face :)







Hope you have a lovely weekend!




Steph

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Monday Musings (on a Wednesday!) #4 ~ New Hair, Why Do You Care?‏

The other week I dyed my hair. I'm no stranger to dying my hair and the people who know me well are used to seeing strange things happening on my head at any given time. It's not conventional but I like it, it's an extension of my personality and the mood and emotions I happen to be experiencing at that time. 

 The only downside to having interestingly coloured hair is the comments from those who don't know me quite so well, from the positive 'that looks awesome, wish I had the balls to go that colour' to those who have literally laughed in my face. 

People change and evolve all the time, if we stayed the same we would be extinct by now, change is a fact of life and I quite like a change now and then. 

There are those who will say 'If you don't want the attention why do something that marks you out so much?' And it's a fair question to ask. I choose to change my hair and experiment with my appearance because I enjoy it, it makes me happy to try something new and to express myself. 

I feel lucky to have been encouraged to express my opinions and emotions by my family and, although I often find it hard to verbalise my every thought, visually I usually feel comfortable doing so. It would be so sad to see those who feel less confident expressing themselves not doing so because they fear what others will say.  

So for those who have laughed in my face, decided 'yea I'd probably still would even with that hair' (delightful as that one is!), sighed 'oh you changed it again' or told me point blank you don't like it...
it's my hair, why do you care? 

Steph  

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A New Arrival

If you've seen any of my Instagram pictures recently (or even glanced at the bar to the right) you may have noticed a certain someone has been cropping up an awful lot!

 The latest arrival into my life is my gorgeous new kitten Pickle!  At 11 months old I'm not sure if she still classes as a kitten, but she's full of energy and always bouncing around so she certainly still has the mentality of one!

Clearly playing so much is very tiring!

Since before Christmas last year I've been asking my parents if they would let me have a cat (as I'm currently living under their roof I didn't think I could just spontaneously bring one home!)  I asked for one as a Christmas present and Christmas came and went, with no sign of any four legged friends, so I upped my campaign!

'Kitten' was added to shopping lists, chalkboards, to-do lists, I mentioned cats at least once a day (it's a wonder I'm still allowed to live here!) but it payed off!  On my birthday my Dad dutifully took me up to Battersea Cats and Dogs home to be interviewed with a view to adopting a kitten.  The next weekend we were back and I met the gorgeous Pickle (previously named Kiara) and was able to bring her home!

Pickle loves a bit of 'Made In Chelsea'!

Pickle hasn't had the easiest of starts, she was brought to Battersea after her first owner decided having a kitten and a new born baby was a little too much to handle. She was then adopted and returned a few weeks later with the lady claiming 'she's ruining my life!'(How I'll never know!)  No one is quite sure what happened there but I'm told she came back a much more frightened cat and lost a lot of confidence in those few short weeks :(

However, she's been home with me for almost 5 weeks now and I can safely say she's done nothing but improve my life!  Even shoving her face in mine at 6am each morning to let me know she expects breakfast, leaping on windowsills to try and climb through windows, making nests in my bed (I now have to be extra careful to check the bed so I don't sit on her!) and racing up and down the stairs in the middle of the night because playtime just can't wait till morning!

I feel so lucky to be able to give her another chance at a good home and a family who appreciates her and hope even more of her confidence will come back and she continues to settle in.  I already miss having her curled up on my feet as I sleep when I'm working away from home and can't wait to watch her explore the garden when she's allowed outside for the first time.

If you are thinking of getting a new pet too, please do consider adopting an animal from your local shelter.  They might take a little extra work to gain their trust and get their confidence back but they are so rewarding and grateful to have a new home and loving family, it makes it all the sweeter!

Steph

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(P.S. If you'd like to see more pictures of her click the Instagram link on the right, she's all over it haha!)

Smile Like You Mean It #1

As if keeping up with one weekly post was going so well for me (I honestly don't understand where the time goes each week! (man that makes me sound ooold!)) I've decided to do a weekly round up of the things that have made me smile each week.

I feel like too often we hear the negatives and the disasters happening in the world and it's always nice to look back on the week and the things that made you smile or giggle, even if it was only one tiny thing :)

So here goes, this week I smiled because...

1) I found out I work with a guy named Kevin G...I'm gunna let that sink in for a moment!  If you haven't seen Mean Girls (where have you been for the past 10 years!) here's a picture of Kevin G, Math Enthusiast/Bad-Ass M.C. (as his business card states!)

Sadly Kevin G at my work isn't a Math Enthusiast or a Bad-Ass M.C. but it still puts a smile on my face whenever I pass him!

2) I discovered Photo Booth on my Mac.  Being pretty new to the whole Mac thing I had no idea what it was until I clicked it and saw my face morphed into an alien!  Best 5 minutes (read hour!) I spent all week!

Is it wrong to be actually kinda impressed with my cheek bones here?!

3) I was lucky enough to get to watch the England XV v Barbarians Rugby match at Twickenham.  Cue hot men in little shorts hurling themselves around a pitch (swoon) but also a super exciting match that I really got into.  There was such a lovely atmosphere, the place was packed with families and rugby fans alike and the sun was shining, definitely a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Twickenham!

4) I got to spend a weekend with one of my best friends who I've not seen in far too long!  We partied, ate faaar too much McDonalds in a cab on the way home (vegan dieting apparently goes out the window when alcohol is involved, bad Steph!), stayed up all night laughing and then drove to London for the rugby singing Frozen songs all the way!

Let me take a selfie!

These are just a few things that made me smile this week.  It's actually made me appreciate them more by looking out for them and keeping a track of them, rather than focusing on the negatives.  I hope you've had a lovely week and don't forget to smile, even if it is just for a second, it can make the world of difference, I promise :)

Steph

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Monday Musings #3 ~ It's Not Me, It's You

Looks like I've finally gotten a round to a Monday Musing again, not like it's been months or anything!

Today at work a guy asked me for my number, I politely declined and was instantly insulted and then studiously ignored for the rest of the day with the occasional glare from across the shop.

In the past I've apparently not been clear enough with expressing my disinterest and have been accused of 'leading a guy on' purely because I was trying to spare his feelings and not be rude.

So which approach is right? And why do men (I'm generalising here from my own experiences) always seem to require an excuse as to why a woman says no?

I don't feel right lying to someone and feeling them I have a boyfriend, and why should I have to justify my decisions or choices to someone purely because they have asked me out?

I've watched the film 'He's Just Not That Into You' a couple of times, it follows the typical premise that women always want the man and it is his choice who he picks.  Why, in today's society, is there such a divide?

From my experience a woman is far more likely to pick herself up and move on with good grace after a knock back, while men (again I can only go from my experience) will sulk, guilt trip the girl, get angry or demand an explanation as to the meaning of every action or move made.

So to the oh-so-charming men I have met of late, as harsh as it may sound and I'm sure you'll call me heartless (amongst other things), it's not me, it's you, I'm just not that into you.

Vegan Living ~ Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!



This year for lent, instead of giving up chocolate or crisps like I usually do I decided I'd try something new and make a lifestyle change. This year for lent I gave up all animal products and produce and went vegan.




In hindsight I maybe should have tried being vegetarian first and eased myself in but, typical me, I jumped in with both feet and expected to be able to swim right away! The first few days were okay, it was exciting finding vegan options of foods I love and feeling like I was making really good choices. And then Sunday rolled around and I found myself eating a nut cutlet with a mountain of veg and roast potatoes that weren't quite crispy as they'd been done without the fat from the meat while I watched everyone we tuck into extra crispy roast potatoes and roast lamb. Needless to say I was not the most chatty at the table that day!




After my first non-roast roast (and in a seriously sulky mood) I did what anyone would do...I consulted the internet. I researched all the reasons I'd wanted to try out veganism in the first place, like animal treatment in dairy, egg and meat farms, the health benefits of eating fewer animal products and the impact on the environment. I was a little overwhelmed by what I found, I never knew salmon from farms are fed dyes to colour their flesh pink so it looks like wild salmon, or that there is no definition of free range when it comes to eggs, or the way they sort chicks ready to become egg layers (unless you have a strong stomach I wouldn't recommend watching those videos). 




I found a lot of my information on YouTube from the amazing Freelee The Banana Girl. She's recently been all over the press for her diet and come up against all sorts of criticism as well as praise. Reading those articles it could be easy to judge the vegan and raw vegan lifestyle but watching her videos (and her boyfriend DurianRider) really helped me gain a perspective on veganism and the benefits of a cruelty free diet.




As well as Freelee I also found Loni Jane (who kept a vegan lifestyle throughout her pregnancy and now has the most gorgeous little boy!) and Mary Mattern who created Nom Yourself and has inspired Ellie Goulding to take up a vegan lifestyle. Turns out once I took a little time to find people out there they're everywhere and looking to help people move over to the lifestyle.




Going vegan for lent definitely did get better after that first roast and I've really found myself loving veg even more than I did before. I've alps found a new love for fruit over the past couple of weeks and have been making smoothies nonstop! I had a few slip ups too (drunk kebabs were not on the plan!) but I've stuck to it on the whole and I'm really proud of myself for trying something new and so different to what I'm used to. 




Only question now is whether to make this a permanent change (think I might eat my Easter eggs first!)




Steph

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Monday Musings #1

The last time I tried to start a series on here I made one post, got half way through a second one and gave up (always full of good intentions!) but it's a new year and I'm going to give it a go again!  So here it is, the first Monday Musings, and hopefully the start of many...

One of my New Years Resolutions was to focus on my anxiety and try my best to gain a handle on it.  One of my main problems is worrying constantly how others perceive me, from how I look to whether I'm letting people down or not doing them proud.

I've been thinking a lot about self confidence and self respect the past few weeks and really identified with the quote 'It aint what they call you, It's what you answer to'.

It got me thinking how easy it is to accept others opinions as fact or assume that one person's view is shared by everyone.  You don't have to accept someone else's limitations for yourself and you certainly don't have to agree with their opinions, that's why it's an opinion. 

Respecting other's opinions is essential in life but so is respecting yourself enough to know that your feelings and opinions are just as valid as theirs.  You can't control what people will say or how they perceive you but you can change your outlook and attitude and be the best version of you for you.
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Challenge Yourself

In a bid to up my fitness and become a healthier human being I've been working out a lot more than I ever have before.  I figured that seeing as every year I set myself the same goal, to feel comfortable in my bikini on holiday, maybe this year I should actually do something about it!

I'm not the greatest at repetitive programs as I loose interest waaay too quickly but across January I managed to (mostly) stick to Jessica Smith TV's January Challenge and do something each day.

As February rolled around and the challenge ended I started to get a little lazy again.  So today I have decided to take up a new challenge and to try and complete as many challenges as possible this year.

Today I found the 30 Day Fitness Challenges page and I think I may have a new fitness go-to.  They have loads of challenges that last (unsurprisingly) for 30 days so you can do one a moth or, if you're feeling really brave, give a couple a go at the same time.

I've decided to start off with the 30 Day Ab & Squat Challenge as my bum and stomach are both areas that I'm really self conscious about.  I'm hoping to ad another challenge at the start of March to keep pushing myself and hopefully see more of a change.

Now I've written this all down I've no excuse for not doing it!  Wish me luck!

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Try, Try & Try Again

 Last night as I was curled up on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate, steadily making my way through a box of Dairy Milk (it hadn't been a great day!) I started watching the Winter Olympics. 

I'm not a huge sports fan but the Olympics gets me every time.  There's something about watching people who dedicate their lives to something they love achieving the highest accolade within their field.

Last night was the men's snowboard half pipe finals and I watched as Iouri Podladtchikov (love that they call him i-Pod!) beat Shaun White to gold.  That was amazing enough in itself, but to hear that he had been stood in White's shadow for the last 8 years and was finally coming top made it even more special.  

The Olypmics, summer and winter, always prove what hard work and determination can do, but I have never been more inspired to try, try and try again.  If Iouri Podladtchikov has proved one thing (aside from how awesome he is on a snowboard!) it's that perseverance and dedication will get you where you want to be, no matter how long it takes.

 

Also can we just appreciate the fact that he won with what he calls a YOLO flip, YOLO 'nuff said!

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Tell Me, What's Your Flavour?

So my New Year's Resolution to blog more (along with pretty much every other resolution I made) went right out the window! 

 I tend to go through cycles in my life, being really into one thing and focusing all of my energy onto that and then, as my brain wanders and gets obsessed with something new, letting it tail off until I come back round to it.

I think this is probably part of my artistic side, finding inspiration in so many different areas and constantly looking for something new to loose myself in.  I know that from the outside my mind and my life must look muddled, unorganised and more than a little messy but to me it makes perfect sense.  

I like to think of my life like ice cream (yum!)  Why stick with vanilla when you could try all the flavours and find so many more that you might love?  Of course they wont all be to my taste but at least you can say I know for sure, one way or the other.  Like Craig David says 'What's your flavour? Tell me, what's your flavour (oooooh!)'

My resolutions in January were made with the best intentions but I feel I make the same rules for myself every year and disappoint myself each year that I didn't achieve them.  January has not been the easiest of months for me this year and if its taught me everything its to go out and make sure I'm trying every flavour of ice cream I can find, I might even find one I like more than strawberry!

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Resolutions ~ 2014

Happy New Year!

2014 is well underway and as with the start of each new year brings the promise of new beginnings and the chance to make some changes.  Throughout December I took a really good look at my life and what I wanted to achieve and am determined to make some changes so that 2014 can be my year.

This year I will...

~ Read more...I feel like I spent a whole lot of 2013 looking at screens and I used to be such a book worm!  I miss sitting down with a good book and loosing myself in it for a few days.   Don't get me wrong I'll still be glued to American Horror Story and Pretty Little Liars, but I don't really need to sit and watch repeats of repeats on E4 all day long!

~ Become a more consistent blogger ~ I've not been blogging for all that long but I really want to get on with putting the ideas that build up in my head onto paper and making more frequent posts.  Hopefully 2014 will be the year I make this blog something I'm really proud of.

~ Push myself ~ I suffer from high anxiety and tend to panic in situations which wouldn't phase most people.  I want to make 2014 the year I push myself to step out of my comfort zone and try to get a handle on my anxiety, as one of my best friends keeps telling me 'don't think, put your Nikes on and Just Do It!'.  Easier said than done but I'm gunna be wearing my Nikes on my worst days and knowing that I have people who believe in me and want to see me succeed.

~ Apply for as many jobs as possible ~ In a similar way to pushing myself to get to grips with my anxiety I want to push myself to apply for all those jobs I'd love to do but somehow manage to talk myself out of applying for.  I need to gain some confidence in my own abilities and build up my skill base so 2015 can be the year of even better jobs!

~ Work out more often and eat more healthily ~ I'd love to challenge myself to work out 5-6 days a week but I know from experience that's not an achievable goal to set straight out.  So this year I'm starting with 3 work outs a week and building myself up as the year progresses.  To make all this exercise worthwhile I'm also going to have to work on my portion control, and maybe give away some of those Christmas chocolate boxes!

Organisation ~ I think I set myself this resolution every year and every year I end up just as unorganised and muddled as ever!  This year I am determined to sort myself out, clear out the mess and organise myself so that I have routines and actually know what I'm supposed to be doing instead of worrying that I've forgotten something important!

And there you have it, 2014's resolutions, not as exciting as my mum's resolution to eat cake every day (why I couldn't have inherited her metabolism I'll never know!) but they're small goals I reckon I can stick to.

I'd love to know what your resolutions are so I don't feel so alone with all my new rules!

Love

Steph

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Boxing Day Traditions

Christmas is all about family traditions. We all have them, the phrases we say once a year every year, the 'in-joke' gifts we give, the places we visit, the family we see who we haven't seen for the rest of the year and the food, oh the food! 

In my family it's Boxing Day where the traditions are most obvious, we always always go for a walk to burn off the turkey tummies brought on by far too much Christmas dinner and a day of slobbing about, and we always head off to a pantomime in the evening for some good, old fashioned fun :)

I thought I'd share some of my pictures from my Boxing Day traditions, I'd love to know what you're traditions are and how you celebrate the festive season.

This year we walked up to the abandoned mental hospital which sits on top of a huge hill near my parents house.  I think this building is so beautiful, it's so sad it's fallen into such a poor state, I'd love to be able to take a look inside.

As kids we used to tell ghost stories about the hospital, my friend once claimed she'd snuck inside and found the whole place still set up like a hospital, beds made, the whole lot, as if everyone had just vanished all at once.  It was a good story if nothing else!

It's behind you! 

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and have a fabulous new year!

Steph

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Winter Essentials

It's that time of year again, when the cold sets in and staying warm and cosy becomes top priority.  There are a few things I couldn't live without when winter hits and I thought I'd share them with you :) 

Hats ~ Keeping warm is always top of my list when the weather turns.  Each year my collection of beanies, berets and any other form of winter hat seems to grow considerably (I think they must be multiplying in the wardrobe!)  My faves so far this winter have been this 'Bad Hair Day' beanie from New Look and the gorgeously cosy Cream Cable Knit beanie from Topshop.

Candles ~ This year I've gotten really into scented candles (I'm going through them at a rate of knots!) and am just loving having a festive smelling room.  My most used candles are the Caramel Apple scent from Green Earth and Yankee Candle's 'Sparkling Cinnamon'.  I'd have them all over the house if the family would let me!

A Good Book ~ There's something about being curled up under a blanket as the night draws in with a candle burning reading a really good book, heaven!  I'm currently reading 'Dolly' by Susan Hill and really enjoying the creepiness of it.  If scary stories aren't your thing 'Chasing Harry Winston' and 'Last Night as Chateau Marmont' by Lauren Weisburger are both really good 'chick-lit' reads as is the new Bridget Jones installment.  I'm looking forward to reading 'Chanel - An Intimate Life' next too, gotta keep it classy!

Festive Manicures ~ I've gone into nail painting overdrive recently and have the urge to constantly have something festive on my nails.  I've gone for something a little more subtle this weekend with gold glitter over a Christmassy red.

Mini Purses ~ I recently discovered these gorgeous little purses in Primark after a friend showed me hers.  Aside from being the perfect size to keep a couple of cards and enough change for a night out they've also got a section to strap in a phone.  As someone who has lost more than one phone to a club toilet I had to invest!  The purses have little wrist straps (which you can remove if you're less clumsy than I am!) and at only £4 were a bargain, not to mention a little cheaper than a new phone!  I can't wait for the Christmas parties to begin so I can take them out!

Eye Cream ~ As someone who could sleep forever and still have bags under my eyes, I'm always after a goof eye cream to perk them up a little.  I recently discovered the 'Puffy Eye Attack' from Soap&Glory and have been really enjoying it.  It's been keeping my under eye area really moisturised and, as it's a gel, it lasts for hours.  I've been slicking it on morning and night and only have good things to say so far.

Gradual Tan ~ Dove's Summer Glow gradual tan has become my new best friend this winter.  Aside from preventing me from looking like a Twilight extra it also moisturises my skin and leaves it feeling really soft, a must when the weather can be so drying.  I've been using the lighter shade so that I don't look to obviously tanned but it's been giving me a really lovely colour and is much easier to control than a regular self tanner.

Exfoliater ~ Soap&Glory always have the best smelling exfoliaters and 'The Scrub of Your Life' if no exception.  I've been using this one for a few weeks now and it's been helping to keep my skin buffed to perfection!  The winter weather can really dry skin out and this helps to keep it smooth as well as providing a great base for moisturiser.

Winter Shoes ~ I recently gave into my love for Aldo and picked up a pair of wedge trainer I'd been eyeing up for about 3 months! I blame the Cyber Monday discounts partially for this purchase but the Aldo sale was definitely a contributing factor too!  Since they arrived they've barely been off my feet and are soo comfy.  The heel isn't too high for day wear and I've been rocking them with jeans, leggings, skirts and dresses as they're such an all-round shoe, I think it might be love!

Big Hair ~ Winter can leave hair feeling a little flat, especially if its been crammed under a beanie all day!  So far this winter I've been making a little more effort to give my hair some added volume using the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray or the Fat Hair Amplifying Mousse.  Both are great for creating volume at the roots and the size of the Bumble and Bumble spray makes it super handy for travelling.

Hair Oils ~ On the hair theme I've also been making an effort to keep my hair moisturised and glossy.  The combination of cold weather and heating can dry out your hair just as much as your skin so a hair oil can really help to combat the effect.  I've been loving L'Oreal's Extraordinary Oil for Coloured Hair.  I use a tiny amount all over my hair when its damp as added heat protection and focus more toward the ends on dry hair to prevent drying and split ends.

So there you have it, just a few of my winter faves for 2013, I honestly think I could go on all day with the products I'm loving at the minute but these are definitely my top picks.  Let me know what you've been loving so for this winter, I'd love to try out some new things!

Steph

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JUST DO IT! (at home)

I'm the first to admit I'm not the most sporty or active person on the plant, I've always been the one curled up with a good book or watching endless Youtube videos (oh the exciting life I lead!) 

 I have, however tried out a shed-load of home workouts, diets, fitness fads, gym classes and just about anything else you can think of, in the effort to loose that dreaded 'Freshers 15' (It's not even a 'Freshers 15' anymore, I've been carrying an extra stone for the last 3 years, I cant even blame uni anymore!)

Anyway, onto the point of this post.  I wanted to make a little collection of some of my favorite home workouts and some which haven't impressed so much (to put it nicely!)  Workout DVDs are a really good way to workout at home, granted its the same routine every time and they'll make the same jokes/comments/explanations every time, but if you mix it up and do a couple they can be a really good way to fit some exercise into your day without having to go to a class at the gym.

Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD is one of my faves.  Man can she kick some ass!  The DVD had 3 levels and to complete the shred you're supposed to do 10 days of each level, working out 6 days a week.  Each level is 30 mins long with a warm up and cool down and the 3 circuits made up of 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs.

I went into this all guns blazing and managed 2 weeks of 6 day per week workouts but I felt so drained at the end of each one!  I cut down to 4-5 days a week when I started my new job so I can't vouch for what would happen if you stuck to 6 days religiously, I also didn't follow a calorie controlled diet plan when doing this DVD, I just ate sensibly.  

The levels do get easier the more you work on them and you can definitely feel them working but, unlike the box will have you believe, I didn't loose 10 lb in a month.  I know I would have lost more if I had stuck to a religious diet plan too, but honestly the workouts take it out of you and I was left feeling dizzy more than once.

Overall a really great workout, and probably something I'll do again in the future, maybe with a diet plan too to see if that makes anymore of a difference.

I recently bought Jillian's book 'Making the Cut' and am planning to follow the plan in that to see if it works better than the shred for me, I'll let you know!

Davina McCall has more workout DVDs out than you can shake a stick at (weird expression that!) but my old fave is the Davina Super Body Workout.  Davina is fab and although I couldn't do this everyday (she makes way to many little comments and jokes which I know would grate pretty quickly!) I really enjoy it when I'm feeling the need for a fun workout.

The DVD has two 40 minute workouts, Super Fit and Super Sculpt and then you can bump it up to 50 mins by adding Super Pump, Super Abs, Super Legs or Super Six Pack (killer!) onto the end.

All in all really good workouts and they make me smile when I do them, which can't be a bad thing!

On the flip side Mari Winsor's Pilates with Mari Winsor is definitely not a fave!  I picked this up a couple of years ago when I found out Miley Cyrus had been using Marie's classes to gain THOSE abs (what can I say I'm a sucker for a celeb endorsement!).   

Doing this DVD is painful, and not in the usual workout sense!  I get that the moves are probably very good for you and for toning the body but it's just so slow paced and Mari spends and age explaining every detail of the move or not explaining it at all and leaving you suuper confused and behind.

I think it's just the set up of this DVD that I find so uninspiring, along with the overly smug looking women doing the moves along with you (yes I can see that you can do the move a billion times better than me, you don't have to rub it in!)  To top it off I find some of what she says quite patronising, and there's only so many times you can listen to someone tell you your'e movements are 'beeeautiful!'

In my opinion, not worth your hard earned!

Youtube workout videos have become my latest love when exercising.  I've got two faves that I've recently subscribed to.

First up are The Lean Machines, John Chapman and Leon Bustin.  their channel has a mixture of the sciencey (real technical there!) bits behind the workout and weight loss, tips and tricks and workouts.   I really like learning the science behind the exercises as well how nutrition etc works and affects the body.  I'd reccommend giving them a watch, pluuuus they spend A LOT of time with their shirts off so y'know not exactly hard to watch haha!

www.youtube.com/user/TheLeanMachines

(You're welcome!)

I've also recently been loving JessicaSmithTV's videos, man does she make you work!  I really like her ballet based routines for beginners and she has some great ab and arm workouts too.  I love that her videos are all of different lengths so you can pick one that will fit in with your day and she runs little challenges too which is really great.

Jessica puts out a new video at least once a week so you don;t really have the time to get bored and she's got such a variety on there.  Plus her adorable dog Peanut is always on hand if you just need something to distract you while doing the hardest moves!  

www.youtube.com/jessicasmithtv

So there you have it, my favorite, and not so fave, workouts to do at home.  With so much out there there really is no excuse for not doing something a few times a week (that's what I keep telling myself anyway!).

I'm always looking for new ways to work out and change it up, so let me know if you know of any good sites or trainers who can kick me into shape!

Steph

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